The literal meaning of the word is, “a Female Fairy,” or white spirit and she was supposed to come always for the purpose of forewarning death, which she did by melancholy wailings. Most of the old families in Ireland were believed to have one of these spirits attending on them. The Banshee sometimes appears in the form of a young and beautiful woman arrayed in white; but more frequently as a frightful hag, and often as a mere “vox et praeterea nihsil,” as invisible and elusive as an Echo. Night was the season generally chosen by the Banshee for her visits, as an ancient bard describes her thus..

On the morning of the 25th of September, 1818, Mrs. O‘Carroll, a native of Thomastown, in the county of Tipperary, residing in Clonmel, arose somewhat earlier than usual, and went down stairs into an office situate inside the hall. She bad not been there long when she distinctly heard, outside in the hall, a low and plaintive wall, and as plainly distinguished the step, motion, and shadow of a woman. The wail was, repeated three times, and then all was silent. Mrs. O‘Carroll. now went out into the bail; but although there was sufficient light, she could see no one. This alarmed her, as all her family and servant, were buried in sleep, and all the doors were fast. She unlocked the hall-door, and looked out into the street; but all was still and deserted—not a mouse stirring. She clasped her hands and exclaimed, “Oh, I know that one of my relations is dead.” She remained some time at the door wrapped in mournful thought, when her attention was attracted by the approach of a servant of Mrs. W., a near relative of hers. “Oh, what brings you here at this, early hour ?“ exclaimed Mrs. It, running to meet her. “Bad news enough, replied the servant; “ my mistress died a few minutes ago.”

Many years ago Waterford was the chief emporium of the Newfoundland trade, and many an anxious wife and mother looked forward to the autumn time for the return of their husbands and sons. Two families of the name of Power were distantly related in blood and closely in affinity, the only son of the one having married the only daughter of the other, so that the entire hope of both rested on the issue of this marriage. Young Power was brought up to the Newfoundland trade, and went out as master of a brig called The Betsey of Waterford, of which he was also part owner. In two former voyages ho was very prosperous, and, after going to market, returned to his joyful family, as the common phrase went, rolling in riches: and the expected results of the present trip were looked to as sufficient to give him an opportunity of settling at home in some lucrative business, pursuing which lie might enjoy the pleasures of domestic comfort, without the painful separations and racking fears that severe changes of weather bring continually to the minds of the sailor’s family. A short time before the arrival of the first Newfoundland trader the anxious wife was disturbed several successive nights by strange noises in her bedroom; and once or twice she was crossed in the passage to her room by a light shadowy figure of indistinct perceptibility, and many of the neighbours said they had heard dismal wailing around the house, though they were never heard by any of the inmates; arid it was generally whispered that something very heavy hung over the family. One night while in that state when the heaviness of sleep is creeping over the senses, but leaves them still capable of perception, she was startled by the figure of a man leaning over her is the bed. She started up; the figure receded and passed out at the door which she had locked previously to her going to rest. She started out of bed, and, with a courage she could no way account for, followed the intruder to the door, which she found locked as she had left It. Her father and mother slept in the adjoining room, and she resolved to arouse them; but on opening the door she saw a female figure with long dishevelled hair, and wrapped in a shroud or winding-sheet, sitting at the back window, who uttered three long and dismal cries of lamentation, and disappeared. Her horror was indescribable; she had power sufficient to enter the room of her parents. and fainted away. Being far advanced in pregnancy, Sue was taken in premature labour, and herself and infant fell victim to her fright. She survived long enough to he sensible with loss of her husband, The Betsey having foundered off the coast of Dungarvan, where he, with two more of the crew perished.

There are many old Beliefs customs and traditions that have been lost in the passing of time, connected with this is another singular superstition; It may be best described by an anecdote. Some time ago a countryman bought a suit of clothes in Clonmel. The proprietor of the establishment, previous to cutting the cloth, asked was it for himself he wanted the suit. “ No,” replied the purchaser, ‘ but for my father.”‘‘ Very well,” replied the proprietor, ‘ bring your father here before I cut the cloth, In order that I may know how much will be wanting to make him a suit.”“ Arrah,, sure, he’s dead, sir,” replied the countryman. “Dead!” exclaimed the proprietor, with astonishment, “what do the dead need of clothes? I thought all our wants, ended with life.” His customer stated in reply that his father had very bad clothes at the time of his death, and that he believed that by purchasing a new suit and wearing it in his father’s name, it would, according as It wore away on him, go to clothe his, father in the other world, This, he added, was the belief of all In his neighbourhood, and had been so from time immemorial (he was from the mountains to the south of Clonmel). Shortly after the proprietor of the establishment at which the above took place had mentioned It to our informant, two countrymen came in, one from the mountains and the other from the plains. The proprietor, who is a very intelligent man, questioned both In Irish respecting this extraordinary opinion. The man from the plains laughed at it as nonsense, but the mountain dweller expressed his first persuasion that it was true as the light. This curious opinion is evidently a relic of Druidism, The Druids are generally supposed to have held with Pythagoras the transmigration of souls; but they appear (at least in Ireland) to have held a doctrine the very opposite to that of the Samian philosopher, via., the transmigration of bodies. They believed that the soul immediately after death, went into the air but that the body, according as It was decomposed, went to the formation of new bodies, either of men or animals; and that they held the saint opinion respecting the garments, &e., of the dead, as. well as their bodies, is evident, from the custom which prevailed among the ancient Irish and (their Celtic ancestors, of burying with the dead not only their garment, but their arms, arrowheads, harps, dogs, &c., all of which they believed would be thereby restored to them (as an ancient bard expresses It) “in the clouds of their rest.”